A Realistic Application to Cambridge

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A Realistic Application to Cambridge

• A school perspective
• Andy Gardner
• JFS School, Brent and La Swap Consortium, Camden
• Moderator Institute of Career Guidance HE
  Advisers Community
• University of Cambridge Teachers Conference April
  2009

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• Never, in the history of education, has so much
  hot air been wasted on a single issue. Rather
  than adding to the global warming attributable to
  this subject, this is our attempt to deconstruct
  what is really going on.
• University Interviews Guide, Second Edition 2009
  Gardner and Hamnett

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Too Much Information

• Books The Real Rules, Tell Me About a Banana,
  MPW, Beating the Boffins
• Courses Oxbridge Applications
• Media Laura Spence etc

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GRIST Framework

• GRADES
• READING
• INTERVIEW
• SUBJECT
• TESTS

5
Grades

• We know realistic applicants have 7.4 Av. GCSE
  points score and above, but they are not always
  the ones that put themselves forward.
• Reality is that students who are contenders will
  often not apply and students who arent
  contenders often will!
• Is it our job to be the gatekeepers?

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This Year

• Those who have received offers had the following
  points scores at GCSE
• 7.9
• 7.8
• 7.7
• 7.6
• 7.4
• There were two exceptions who met WP criteria
• Most successful applicants have very high
  Morrisby scores if they have done it

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Reading

• For art/humanities/social sciences especially,
  wider reading away from the syllabus is
  essential.
• Lack of wider reading/general knowledge is
  stunning!
• Many applicants will need a summer reading list.
• Maths and sciences undertake a range of
  activities e.g. practising STEP papers

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Interview

• You will be much worse than you think you are
  going to be!!!
• Exam out loud
• Mock interviews are essential
• We do them from September onwards

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• We feel very strongly that applicants,
  especially from non-selective state schools, will
  often have no experience of being interrogated on
  an academic issue. They may answer questions in
  class but they will not normally have had to face
  further questioning on their original answer.
• University Interviews Guide, Second Edition 2009
  Gardner and Hamnett

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Subject

• The Nerds have won!

• Obsessive enthusiasm
• Virtuous circle
• Read, watch, observe, listen
• More to say in PS
• More to talk about in interview

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Tests

• BMAT
• TSA Cambridge
• MML Languages
• Informal tests
• We aim to give a mock test and mark it, if they
  are likely to take a formal or informal test.
  This is done after AS Levels.

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The GRIST Framework is not about

• College choice
• Encouraging students to apply to Oxbridge
• Original A Level choice
• Sociology of education issues related to Oxbridge
• Other than making sensible A Level choices, we
  would argue that the GRIST framework is far more
  important than the above issues in terms of
  making a realistic/successful application.

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Oxbridge Programme

• Activity 1
• GRIST, Piastre
• Activity 2
• Oriel DVD, Dealing with interview questions
• Activity 3
• Personal statements
• Activity 4
• Mock Tests
• Activity 5
• Mock interview programme

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Activity 1

• Explain GRIST Framework
• Piastre
• Classics test that only requires you to
  understand English language.
• Students immediately see that they are on their
  own, they have to think for themselves, its no
  longer about regurgitation and its really quite
  hard!

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Activity 2

• Show Oriel DVD Physics and Classics
• Give out handout of interview questions
• Allow opt out
• 1 minute to choose question
• 1 minute to jot notes on question
• Random selection - ask them the question and see
  if they can engage
• I need help from a maths/science person to deal
  with these questions

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Activity 3

• Choose subject or favourite A Level
• Have 20 minutes to write blurb/mini PS
• Paired up
• Mini PS swapped identify salient points in PS
• In pairs do mock interview using salient points
• Paired in similar subjects

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Activity 4

• Find examples of tests and available mark schemes
• Give test in mock exam situation
• Where marks schemes exist mark student can do!
• If possible pass to willing teachers
• Make attempt to mark yourself, sometimes with the
  student

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Activity 5

• Identify students disciplines
• Identify possible mock interviewers
• Teachers, Alumni, University staff, Aimhigher,
  Year 13 pupils who have been through the process.
• Can break bulk with popular subjects

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While Ive got you.

• Making sensible choices for 16
• Website collaboration between Russell Group
  and ICG better info on A Level Choices
• ICG HE Advisers Community
• A voice/network/information exchange for HE
  Advisers
• http//www.icg-uk.org/headvisers.html
• LSBU Advisers Cert Applying to HE
• The first ever qualification for pre-entry HE
  Advice for Teachers, Connexions PAs,
  Librarians, in fact any professional that is
  involved with HE Advice
• Stewarm3_at_lsbu.ac.uk